Gartrell Johnson

RB Colorado St.

Grade

4.81 SEC

20 REPS

34.0 INCH

114.0 INCH

Overview

Talented backs like Johnson don't typically get out of the state of Florida, especially considering he led Dade County in rushing as a senior. His physique and lack of elite speed scream fullback, but his production for the Rams tells a different story.

The 2008 first-team All-Mountain West pick appeared to come from nowhere with his 285-yard, two-touchdown effort against Fresno State in the New Mexico Bowl last December, but he had already approached 1,200 yards during the regular season and ran for 957 yards as a part-time starter in 2007. He also caught 32 for 295 yards out of the backfield as a senior, mostly on swing passes, which gives him a bit more versatility than most expect. Had an arm span of 30 1/2 inches and a hand span of 9 1/2 inches at the combine.

Analysis

Strengths

Positives: Powerful build. Runs with a low pad level, giving defenders little room to hit him. Has a low-center of gravity and a good first step to accelerate. Hits the hole with authority. Some lateral quickness to elude in tight quarters and can make defenders miss in the open field. Good vision for the cutback. Finishes his runs by falling forward. Secure ball-handler with only one fumble in 310 touches in 2008. Experienced hands out of the backfield. Good strength and effort as a pass-blocker. Relatively fresh legs, considering he didn't establish himself as a full-time starter until his senior year. Strong performance in the East-West Shrine Game alleviated concerns about his level of competition.
Negatives: Lacks the speed to beat linebackers to the edge or the top-end speed to pull away when gets to the second level. Lacks the agility to make defenders miss if met in the hole. Relies on his initial pop and aggression, rather than true power, in taking on defenders. Can be taken down too easily at the line of scrimmage, as he needs a step or two to build his momentum. May struggle with a complicated playbook.